Automatic coin sorting, counting and wrapping machine

ABSTRACT

Coins dropped into a hopper are directed one by one down a chute and into a coin wrapping tube located on a turntable. The tube is in vertical attitude and is open at its upper end to receive the coins. When a predetermined number of coins has been loaded in the tube, the machine is programmed to advance the turntable so that the coin-filled wrapper is moved to the next station and is there acted upon by a crimping die to close the open end of the tube. At the next advance, the coin-filled and closed tube progresses to a discharge station where it is ejected from the machine. In the meantime, an empty tube is deposited on the turntable preparatory to being moved ahead to the coin loading station, thereby completing the cycle.

United States Patent Bay [ 51 Mar. 21, 1972 54 AUTOMATIC COIN SORTING,

COUNTING AND WRAPPING MACHINE [21] Appl.No.: 11,487

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,047,304 12/1912 Sattley ..53/254 X 915,100 3/1909 Lilleberg ..53/254 X 2,841,934 7/1958 Schoenewolf ..53/78 X Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee At!arney-Lothrop & West [57] ABSTRACT Coins dropped into a hopper are directed one by one down a chute and into a coin wrapping tube located on a turntable.

The tube is in vertical attitude and is open at its upper end to,

receive the coins. When a predetermined number of coins has been loaded in the tube, the machine is programmed to advance the turntable so that the coin-filled wrapper is moved to the next station and is there acted upon by a crimping die to close the open end of the tube. At the next advance, the coinfilled and closed tube progresses to a discharge station where it is ejected from the machine. In the meantime, an empty tube is deposited on the turntable preparatory to being moved ahead to the coin loading station, thereby completing the cycle.

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18W f/df Arron 5Y5 AUTOMATIC COIN SORTING, COUNTING AND WRAPPING MACHINE The invention relates to improvements in machines for sorting, counting and wrapping coins, tokens and the like.

The market place as well as the patent literature is replete with machines for performing various types of operations in connection with coins. Exemplary of the latter is J. N. Francis US. Pat. No. 2,728,507 dated Dec. 27, 1955 entitled Coin Or The Like Counting And Wrapping Machine. For the most part, however, the previous devices have been quite complex, bulky and expensive.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a coin sorting, counting and wrapping machine which is compact in size and relatively inexpensive, yet is efficient and reliable.

It is another object of the invention to provide a coin handling machine which has but few mechanical moving parts to get out of order and which, therefore, is rugged, durable and long-lived.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a machine which is capable of handling coins and tokens of different sizes.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a coin handling machine which can readily be installed so as to receive the coin intake of many types of apparatus, such as coin-operated games of amusement and vending machines.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a coin handling machine which accurately regulates the number of coins deposited in each wrapper and which accurately counts the number of wrappers filled, closed and discharged, thereby affording a valuable record, for accounting purposes; of the quantity and value of the coins handled.

It is another object of the invention to provide a generally improved coin sorting, counting and wrapping machine. teeth where Other objects, together with the foregoing, are attained in the embodiment described in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the machine showing the arrangement of the major components, with some portions broken away and others shown in exploded position to reveal structure which would otherwise be obscured;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view, to an enlarged scale, of the counting wheel and attendant mechanism;

FIG. 2A is an enlarged showing of the counting wheel pinion structure;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, median vertical sectional view, to an enlarged scale, of the coin hopper, coin chute, cats whisker and coin filling station structure;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, side elevational view, to an enlarged scale, with portions shown in section on the plane of the turret diameter, and with the wrapper lifter at the closing station in lower position;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view to an enlarged scale on the line 5-5 in FIG. 6 illustrating the wrapper lifter in elevated location and showing the configuration attained by the upper end of the wrapper as the upper end is crimped into closed condition;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view, on the line 66 in FIG. 4, showing the turret indexing mechanism;

FIG. 7 is a wiring diagram;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view, with portions being shown in section, of the coin sorting mechanism; and,

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of the coin sorter, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 99 in FIG. 8.

While the coin handling machine of the invention is susceptible of numerous physical embodiments, depending upon the environment and requirements of use, substantial numbers of the herein shown and described embodiment have been made, tested and used, and all have performed in an eminently satisfactory manner.

The coin handling machine of the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 12, comprises a frame 13 including a platform 14 supported by legs 16.

Arranged to support and guide a predetermined number of empty coin wrapping tubes 17, or wrappers, toward the tube receiving station 18 of a rotatable turret 19, or turntable, is a tube supporting tray 21 circumscribed by walls 22, 23, 24 and 25. As shown, the end walls 22 and 24 are vertically elongated and include horizontal feet 27 and 28, respectively, supported on and welded to the platform 14.

The tray 21 is removable, being supported by inturned ledges 29 on the bottom of the front wall 25 and rear wall23. Mounted on the frame platform 14 below the tray 21 is one or more tray vibrating members 31 in physical contact with the bottom surface of the tray 21. The purpose of the vibrators 31 is to agitate the tray 21 at fairly high frequency but at low vertical amplitude so as to keep the vertically positioned empty wrappers 17 walking" toward the beginning station 18. It will be noted that the tray structure is tilted toward the opening 33 at the junction of the walls 24 and 25. An interior curved fence 36 is arranged, as shown most clearly in FIG. 1, to guide and direct the empty tubes 17 toward the converging channel 35 defined by the wall 24 and the fence run 37, the channel being effective to pass only one tube at a time at the lower tray exit 33 end of the channel. For convenience, the single wrapper shown in FIG. 1 as being located in the turret receptacle adjacent the opening 33 is designated by the reference numeral 34.

Each tube 17 is conventional, being made of paper material wrapped into tubular configuration and curled over, or crimped, on its lower end to form at least a partial closure 39 arranged to support a plurality of coins 41 lodged within the tube. In well known manner, the inside diameter of the tube 17 snugly confines the coins and the net length of the tube is such as to receive a predetermined number of coins, with the top 42 of the wrapper crimped or rolled over, into closed condition, as shown most clearly in FIG. 5. Customarily, a careful. accounting is kept of the number of empty wrappers l7 periodically placed on the tray 21, the number of coin-filled tubes periodically removed from the storage vault (not shown) of the machine and the count of processed wrappers as indicated by electromechanical counting device 43 (see FIG. 5) which comprises a cat's whisker 44 tripped by a falling tube at the discharge station. The switch 45 is connected to and actuates the counter 43.

The triggering event which commences the start of the cycle of operation is the completion of the filling of a tube designated by the numeral 46 located at the coin loading station 48. If it be assumed, for example, that the tubes contain five-cent pieces and total 2 dollars, the actuating article is the 41st coin, it being assumed that the wrapper 46 has been loaded with 40 nickels.

As the 4lst coin 49 falls from the coin source (not shown) into a hopper 51 at the upper end of the coin chute 52 and then slides down the chute 52, a cats whisker 54 is deflected by the coin. The cats whisker, in turn, actuates a switch 56 connected electrically to a solenoid 57 having mounted thereon a plunger 58 appropriately supported for horizontal translation by bearing members 59.

Translation of the plunger 58 both in a left-hand direction (as in FIG. 1) and in a right-hand direction, under urgency of a return spring 62, effects advance in a clockwise direction of a pinion type counting wheel 63.

Rotation of the wheel 63 through 360 corresponds to one complete cycle of operation of the machine. Thus, I have mounted on the front face of the wheel 63 a button 64 located at a predetermined radial location on the wheel to interfere with, once each cycle, the tripping arm 65 of a relay 66 connected electrically to a solenoid 67 including a plunger 68 pivotally connected to a lever 69 on the indexing mechanism 70 of the turret 19, thereby advancing the turret in a counterclockwise direction (see FIG. 1) from the tube filling station 48 to the tube closing station 71, or crimping station, for closure of the upper end of the tube by a crimping die 72 rotated by an electric motor 73 mounted on a stand 74 supported by the platform 14.

In other words, after the tube at the filling station 48 has been loaded with 40 nickels (five-cent pieces), the 4lst nickel which drops into the hopper 51 and slides down the coin chute 52 into deflecting engagement with the cats whisker 54 is effective to advance the turret substantially instantaneously, thereby moving the empty tube 34 from the beginning station 18 through 90 to the tube filling station 48 and there indexed so as to receive the 41st coin still sliding down the chute. As the 41st coin slides off the lower end, or lip, of the chute, the coin becomes the first coin of the new cycle as it falls down the empty tube and comes to rest against the bottom closure of the tube.

Closure of the top of the tube is effected at the closing station 71, as previously indicated, by the crimping die 72 which is intermittently rotated at predetermined junctures in the cycle in response to actuation of a relay 81 tripped by interference between the relay arm 82 and a plurality of buttons 83 arranged at equal radii on the face of the countingwheel 63. Although crimping is ordinarily effected in one pass, the additional two buttons serve as back-ups.

Closing the relay 81 not only energizes the motor "73 so as to rotate, momentarily, the crimping die 72, but it also actuates a solenoid 86 having a vertically movable armature 89 normally supported on a cushion 90 ofa lower support member 91.

Upon being energized, the windings 86 lift the armature 89 which, in turn, lifts a vertical rod 75 mounted on the top of the armature, the rod 75 being surmounted by a cap 76 resembling a poppet valve and located in a conical seat in a floor member 77.

The floor 77 serves to support the coin wrappers as they are moved from one station to the other by rotation of the turret. The floor 77 is supported by the cylindrical shell 79 and is spaced above the platform 14 so as to afford a chamber 78 housing the indexing mechanism 70.

As appears most clearly in FIG. 5, upward movement of the armature 89 lifts the rod 75, the cap 76 and the superposed coin wrapper 87. The annular upper end 42 of the wrapper 87 is thereby urged into engagement with the rapidly rotating crimping die 72 and, more particularly, with a transverse pin 80 rotatably mounted on the die 72 and formed with suitable configurations, well known in the art, capable of rolling over and inwardly the wrappers upper end 42 and thereby closing the wrapper. Q

After the motor 73 and the solenoid 86 are deactivated, the armature 89 returns to base position, as does the coin wrapper 87, as in FIG. 4.

Then, as the turret makes its next advance, the filled and wrapped coin tube 95 is carried to the discharge station 92. At this station, a well 93 (see FIG. 6) is formed in the floor 77. Adjacent the well 93 is a vertical barrier 94 beyond which the lower portion of the filled and wrapped tube 95 extending downwardly into the well 93 cannot pass. The barrier 94 serves, in other words, as a backup limit stop for the indexing mechanism 70 in addition to the limited movement of the plunger of the indexing solenoid 67.

An opening 96 (see FIG. in the platform 14 allows the filled and wrapped tube 95 to fall by gravity and thus trip the cats whisker 44 and thereby advance the tube counter 43 by one digit, so as to record the event for accounting purposes.

The hopper 51, coin chute 52 and cats whisker structure 54 is illustrated in detail from the rear side in FIG. 3 and is shown further to include a film thin track 101 of electrically conductive material. The hopper 51 is also of conductive material. As the coin 49 drops downwardly through the hopper 51 and passes through the narrow neck portion 102, the metallic coin 49 completes an electrical circuit actuating a vibrator 103 physically connected to the hopper and chute structure, thereby agitating the coin and facilitating and encouraging the coins tendency to pass through the neck 102 and come to rest flatwise against the subjacent metallic film surface 101.

In some installations, it is desirable to utilize an auxiliary coin orienting mechanism, such as a rapidly reciprocating chopper member 106, or plate, actuated by an arm 107 loosely connected to an elongated plastic plate 108. The arm 107 is agitated by the vibrator 103; the chopper 106 serves to reciprocate by frictional engagement the lower protruding portion of the coin 49 and thereby causes the coin to fall into face to face relation relative to the subjacent surface 101 of the track. As soon as the coin departs from the electrified portion of the chute adjacent the hopper neck 102, the coin slides down the chute, and comes into abutment with so as operatively to deflect the cats whisker 54, as previously explained, thereby actuating the solenoid plunger 58 and advancing the counting wheel 63. An elongated slot in track bed 113 allows the cats whisker 54 to deflect (see FIG. 3).

Concurrently, movement of the solenoid plunger 58 is effective to reciprocate an operating rod 111 pivotally mounted on one end to the plunger, as at 112. The rod 111 abuts at its upper end with a floating block translatable in a guide tube 114. Also translatable in the guide tube 114 is a floating, spring-confined plunger having a rod projecting therefrom and terminating in an upper tip end 1 16. The upper tip end 116 of the rod projects upwardly through an opening 1 17 in the track bed 1 13 into interfering relation with the coin immediately following the coin which is in operating relation with the cats whisker 54. In this fashion, the cat's whisker 54 is not held in operating posture continuously by a stream of coins descending the chute. I'nstead, the sliding coins are released by the rod tip 116 only in discrete steps, thereby allowing the cats whisker 54 to perform its counting operation by advancing the wheel 63 a predetermined amount each time a coin passes.

A cover member 121 encloses the top of the chute 52, thereby guiding the coins as they descend the chute 52.

The translational movement of the plunger 58 in response to deflection of the cat's whisker 54 serves yet another purpose. As appears most clearly in FIGS. 1 and 2, the top of the left-hand portion of the plunger 58 is shaped to afford a cam surface 123 engaged by a roller 124 on an arm 126 of a switch 127 connected by a conductor 128 to the tray vibrator 31. Thus, each time the plunger translates, a short burst of vibrational energy is exerted on the inclined tray 21, thereby serving to keep the empty tubes 17 walking toward the low corner passageway 33.

With particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the counting wheel 63 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 131 on the vertical mounting plate 15. The periphery of the wheel 63 exhibits a plurality of teeth 133; namely, 8 teeth each wrapper tube contains forty coins.

Each translation of the plunger 58 causes the counting wheel to advance by one tooth and a fore and aft movement of the plunger thereby advances the wheel by two teeth. Thus, forty cyclical translations of the plunger, corresponding to 40 engagements between a coin 49 and the cats whisker 54 causes the counting wheel to rotate through one complete rotation, or 360.

As appears most clearly in FIG. 2A, the bottom, or lowermost two teeth 136 of the counting wheel 63 define, between them, a tooth space within which is disposed a corresponding tooth 137 of a six-toothed pinion 138 mounted on a jack shaft 139 journaled at its inner end on the vertical frame 15. Also mounted on the jack shaft 139, at the outer end of the jack shaft, is a triangular member 141 of very hard and durable material. Rotation of the equilateral triangle 141 effects corresponding rotation of the jack shaft 139 and six-toothed pinion 138.

In order, therefore, to advance the counting wheel by one tooth in a clockwise direction it is only necessary that the pinion 138 be rotated by one tooth in a counterclockwise direction. The desired one-tooth, counterclockwise movement of the pinion 138 is effected by engagement between the upper apex portion of the triangle 141 (see FIG. 2A) and the upper corner 143 of an opening 144 formed in the plunger 58. The triangle 141 is located in the plane of the plunger 58 so that when the plunger 58 translates in a left-hand direction by a predetermined amount, governed by the effective armature length of the solenoid 57, the corner 143 abuts the upper apex portion of the triangle, causing the triangle and thus the jack shaft 139 and the six-tooth pinion 138 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction. The angular movement of the equilateral triangle under urgency of the corner 143 is limited to 60 since as the triangle is rotated in a counterclockwise direction it assumes the attitude shown in broken line in FIG. 2A wherein the base of the triangle is in engagement with an upper horizontal wall portion 146 of the opening 144 and is thereby constrained against further rotation.

As will be appreciated, the opening 144 is arranged with two vertically offset levels, as shown, and the two levels are joined by an inclined passageway 147 which is wide enough to allow rotation of the triangle 141 from the upstanding attitude, as shown in full line in FIG. 2A, to the downward direction, as shown in broken line.

As will also be appreciated, the broken line showing of the triangle in FIG. 2A indicates merely the relative location of the triangle with respect to the wall 146 whenthe plunger is fully displaced toward the left in the direction of the arrow 150. The triangle shown in full line represents the actual location of the triangle and it also shows the relative angular attitude of the triangle with respect to the lower horizontal wall 148 when the plunger is in its base position after being returned by the spring 62 in the direction of the arrow 151. The triangle 141, in other words, does not actually translate to and fro between the full line and broken line showings in FIG. 2; instead, in order to bring out the point most clearly, FIG. 2A shows the two attitudes of the triangle 141 in the two extreme positions of the plunger 58 and the two relative locations of the triangle with respect to the horizontal surfaces 146 and 148 in the two plunger positions.

The counting wheel 63, in other words, is advanced by one tooth, in the manner just described, in a clockwise direction, as a result of the translation of the plunger 58 in the left-hand direction 150, resulting from energization of the solenoid 57 by the cats whisker movement.

Then, as soon as the coin 49 descends beyond the cats whisker 54, and allows the cats whisker to return, under spring urgency, to normally open position, the solenoid 57 is deenergized, thereby allowing the tension spring 62 to return the plunger 58 to return, in a right-hand direction 151, to base position.

Movement of the plunger in the right-hand direction 151 soon brings a lower corner 153 of the opening 144 into abutment with the downwardly facing apex portion 154 (see broken line triangle in FIG. 2). Abutment between the lower corner 153 and lower apex portion 154 occurs when the plunger has moved far enough toward the right to locate the triangle 141 in the middle of the inclined passageway 147 connecting the two vertically offset levels. Being thus located temporarily in the passageway 147, the triangle can be rotated by the lower corner 153 in a counterclockwise direction until the surface 156 of the triangle 141 (see broken line triangle in FIG. 2) is tilted downwardly and to the left through 60 until it comes into face to face engagement with the lower wall 148. Then, as in the reverse plunger movement previously described, the triangle base slides along the wall until the plunger 58 has returned to its base position, at which juncture the relative position of the triangle 141 and the opening 144 is as shown in full line in FIG. 2.

It can therefore be seen that as the plunger 58 first moves to the left in response to abutment of the coin 49 against the cats whisker 54, the counting wheel is moved by one tooth in a clockwise direction. Then, when the coin has passed beyond the tip of the deflected cats whisker and deenergizes the plunger solenoid 57, so that the plunger 58 then moves to the right under spring urgency, the counting wheel 63 is moved one additional tooth in a clockwise direction.

In sum, each time a coin actuates the cats whisker, the counting wheel 63 is advanced in two discrete steps, each of 4.5", for a total of 9.

As a result of this two-step movement of the counting wheel, the indexing button 64 and the crimping die buttons 83 can be so dimensioned as to coordinate the movements of the indexing mechanism and the crimping die with the movement of the coin down the chute and into the wrapper being loaded at the loading station 48.

That is to say, the indexing button 64 is located on the counting wheel so that at the start of the cycle, the indexing button is in the position shown in broken line in FIG. 2 and indicated by the reference numeral 164, the button 164 having just cleared the indexing relay arm 65.

Then, after 40 coins have passed down the chute, and tripped the cats Whisker forty times, the coin wrapper at loading station 48 is filled and the indexing button 64 is in position to move into abutment with the arm feeler 65 at the drop of the next 41 st coin. When the 41 st coin comes into abutment with the cat's whisker 54, thereby causing the plunger 58 to translate to the left, the counting wheel 63 is advanced one tooth by the triangle 141 and six-toothed pinion 138 movement. This one tooth advance brings the button 164 into engagement with the lifter arm 65 and thereby actuates the indexer relay66 which, in turn, energizes the indexer solenoid 67, as a result of which the indexer armature 68 retracts into the solenoid windings and thereby translates the indexer lever 69 (see FIGS. 4 and 6) pivotally mounted by pin 169 to a crank arm 171. Rotation of the turret 19 in the counterclockwise direction 173 is thereby substantially instantaneously efi'ected.

In a manner subsequently to be described in detail, the coin wrapper 46 filled with 40 coins is advanced from the loading station 48 through one quadrant and indexed at the crimping, or closing station 71.

At this juncture, the 41st coin is still descending the chute and is still in engagement with the cat's whisker 54. Then, as the 4 1 st coin clears the cats whisker and continues to descend the chute so as to drop into the empty wrapper now waiting at the loading station 48, the cats whisker returns to base position.

As the cats whisker 54 returns to base position, the spring 62 returns the plunger 58 to its base position, thereby retracting the operating rod 111 and withdrawing the rod tip 116 from the coin chute, thereby allowing the next coin in line to slide down and contact the cats whisker 54 and thereby continue operation.

In the meantime, the return of the plunger 58 to base position has also advanced the counting wheel by one tooth, as previously described, thereby moving the indexer button into the clearance position indicated by reference numeral 164 and thereby deenergizing the indexer solenoid 67. The indexer plunger 68 is thereupon returned to its base position under urgency of a tension spring 176.

The two-step operation of the counting wheel mechanism is also utilized in conjunction with the crimping die actuator buttons 83.

That is to say, after a coin-filled wrapper is moved to the tube closing station 71, as previously described, and one of the buttons 83 comes into abutment with the probe 82 of the crimper relay 81 (see FIG. 2) as a result of plunger 58 movement in the left-hand direction 150, and advancing the wheel 63 by one tooth, the crimper relay 81 switches on the crimper motor 73 and at the same time energizes the armature 89 of the lifter solenoid 86. As a result, as heretofore described, the wrapper is elevated into crimping engagement with the die 72. Then, after the passage of a measurable amount of time, i.e., for the period during which the cats whisker is held in operative attitude by the coins weight, the plunger solenoid 57 is deenergized and the plunger 58 returns to base position, thereby advancing the counting wheel by one additional tooth and allowing the crimper actuating button to clear the probe 82, and to assume the button position indicated, for example, by the reference numeral 183 (see FIG. 2).

After the'third operation of the crimping mechanism, the coin-filled and closed wrapper 87 waits at the crimping station 71 until the wrapper 46 at the loading station 48 is filled and the 41st coin has started down the chute so as to actuate the indexing mechanism 70, as previously described.

As the turret advance and indexing mechanism rotates the turret in the counterclockwise direction 173, the empty tube 34 at the beginning station 18 is advanced to the loading station 48, and the filled and crimped wrapper 87 at the tube.

closing station 71 is advanced to the tube discharge station 92.

Upon approaching the tube discharge station 92, the filled and closed tube 95 is swept into vertical registry with the well 93 in the tube-supporting floor 77, the tube 95 thus being unsupported. At substantially the same instant, the tube 95 is immediately halted in its movement by abutment with the vertical barrier 94 (see FIGS. and 6) in the path of horizontal movement of the tube. The tube 95 thereupon drops by gravity, as indicated by the arrow 194, through the floor well 93 and thence downwardly through the aperture 96 in the platform 14; at which juncture the filled-tube counting mechanism 43 is actuated so as to record the filling and discharge of one tube. The filled and closed coin wrapper 95 continues to fall, as indicated by the arrow 195, and comes to rest in a locked vault or other suitable depository, not shown, for subsequent removal by authorized personnel.

The indexing mechanism 70 comprises not only the indexer plunger 68, lever 69 and pivoted crank arm 171, previously described, but also a crown ratchet mechanism 201 (see FIG. 4).

An upper crown 202, with four downwardly directed ratchet teeth 203, is appropriately secured to a collar 204 downwardly depending from the turret 19. The turret is rotatably mounted on an axle 206 and the upper end of the axle 206 is surmounted by a cap nut 207 which overlies loosely the adjacent surface of the turret 19 and thereby restrains upward movement of the turret but allows free rotation of the turret. The upper crown 202 rotatably encompasses the axle 206.

Rotatably encompassing the vertical axle 206 below the upper crown ratchet 202 is a lower crown ratchet 212, on which the indexing crank arm 171 is mounted. The lower crown ratchet 212 is yieldingly supported by a compression spring 213 supported on the platform 14.

The lower crown 212 includes upwardly directed ratchet teeth 214 shaped to afford uni-directional positive engagement, as is customary with mating ratchets of this variety.

In other words, when the indexing lever 69 is translated so as to rotate the crank arm 171 in the counterclockwise direction 173 (see FIGS. 4 and 6), the upwardly directed tooth 214 positively engages the mating vertical surface of the downwardly directed tooth 203. As a consequence, the upper crown ratchet 202 is very forcefully rotated in the same, counterclockwise direction, the upper crown-ratchet 202 carrying with it the turret 19. v

Opposing rotation of the turret 19 is a ball detent 217 including the customary compression spring 218 and ball 219 adapted to seat in any of four recesses 221 spaced 90 apart in the turret walls (see FIG. 6).

The supervening force exerted by the indexing crank arm 171 is effective, however, to lift the ball out of its initial recess and carry it around 90 to the next recess. There, the turret stops as a consequence of the abutment of the filled and closed tube 95 against the vertical barrier 94. The dimensions are such that when the tube abuts the barrier 94 and halts further movement of theturret 19, the ball 219 is in registry with the adjacent recess 221. Thus, when the crank arm 171 reverses direction, the detent effort exerted by the ball 219 overcomes the reverse movement of the lower crown ratchet 212 inasmuch as the ratchet teeth on the return stroke interpose no significant force, the teeth merely sliding over one another until the lower crown returns to base position.

With the turret advanced and indexed, as just described, the filled tube 95 drops downwardly and away from the turret, as previously explained, thereby removing the interference between the tube 95 and the barrier 94 and permitting subsequent advance of the turret on the next cycle of operation.

FIG. 7 illustrates a diagram of the electrical components.

Electrical energy V. AC comes from a convenience source 231 and comprises a positive bus 232 and a return line 233.

Connected to the bus 232 and return 233 is a conventional transformer 234 serving to reduce the voltage to any suitable amount, such as 6 volts.

The reduced voltage circuit 236 includes the vibratorchopper 103 circuit, the cats whisker switch 54 and the plunger solenoid 57.

The relay 127 is cammed into operation by translation of the plunger 58. The relay 127 is connected to the lines 232 and 233 by a pair of conductors 128, of which one leg includes the vibrator 31 and the vibrator mechanism 31 is thereby actuated.

The indexing solenoid 67 is interposed in a line 261 connected at 262 to the return line 233. The other end of conductor 261 extends to the indexing switch 66 actuated by abutment between the indexing button 64 and the switch probe 65. The circuit is completed by a wire 264 connected at 265 to the bus 232.

In comparable fashion, the crimper switch 81, actuated by abutment between the crimper buttons 83 and the probe 82, serves to operate, by means of a pair of conductors 271, the crimping die motor 73 and the lifter solenoid 86.

Similarly, tube counter 43 is actuated by closure of switch 45, both components being included in a circuit comprising conductor 281 and 282 connected respectively to bus 232 and return line 233.

Variations in the electrical system can readily be made to suit the capacities and characteristics of the components.

The foregoing description refers, for the most part, to structure and operation of a device for counting and wrapping coins or tokens of a single denomination; the machine can easily be provided with the capability of handling coins of more than one denomination, however.

Thus, as can be seen most clearly in FIGS. 8 and 9, structure is also afforded for sorting and distributing coins to a plurality of coin wrapping and counting devices.

A coin receiving throat 301 is mounted on an apertured plate 302 spanning the upper end of a plurality of chutes inclined downwardly and to the left. Ordinarily, the chutes would be enclosed by suitable cover plates (not shown).

The top chute 306 includes a large opening 307 which is too small to accept the largest coin 308 (e.g., a quarter) but is sufficiently large to accept a medium size coin 309 (e.g., a nickel). The nickel 309 therefore drops through the opening 307 and descends the middle chute 311.

The quarter 308 continues along the top chute 306, as shown. I

The nickel 309 is too large to drop through a small opening 312 in the bottom of the middle chute 311 and therefore continues onwardly along the middle chute 311, as shown.

The smallest coin 316, such as a dime, not only drops through the large opening 307 but also the small opening 312, thus dropping onto the bottom chute 317 and continuing onwardly, as shown.

Preferably, the three chutes diverge, each from the other, as appears most clearly in FIG. 8. The individual chutes, after diverging can be directed, if desired so as to discharge into three separate hoppers 51 and thus direct the respective coins through their own individual counting and wrapping procedures, as previously described.

It can therefore be seen that I have provided a highly versatile, and compact and efficient machine for sorting, wrapping and counting coins, tokens, and the like, of different denominations.

Iclaim: 1. An automatic coin sorting, counting and wrapping machine comprising:

a. aframe; b. a turret rotatably mounted on said frame containing a plurality of outwardly opening and angularly separated receptacles to hold coin wrappers;

a wrapper guiding station on said frame capable of directing one wrapper at a time into an adjacent first one of said receptacles, said guiding station including a supporting tray tilted toward said first one of said receptacles, and guide walls associated with said tray for directing coin wrappers toward said first one of said receptacles, a portion of said guide walls converging to pass only one of said wrappers at a time;

. a wrapper filling station on saidframe arranged to load a predetermined number of coins into a wrapper located in a second one of said receptacles;

. a wrapper closing station on said frame including a rotatable crimping die for engaging and closing an open end of a coin-filled wrapper located in a third one of said receptacles;

a wrapper discharging station on said frame for carrying away a coin-filled and closed wrapper located in a fourth one of said receptacles;

indexing means on said frame for rotating said turret through the arc separating said receptacles;

. counting means on said frame for measuring the number of coins loaded into a wrapper located at said wrapper filling station; and,

. means connecting said counting means and said indexing means for actuating said indexing means when a predetermined number of coins is loaded into a wrapper at said filling station.

An automatic coin sorting, counting and wrapping machine comprising:

. a wrapper guiding station on said frame capable of directing one wrapper at a time into an adjacent first one of said receptacles;

. a wrapper filling station on said frame arranged to load a predetermined number of coins into a wrapper located in a second one of said receptacles, said wrapper filling station comprising a coin hopper and a coin chute located below said hopper and inclined downwardly toward said second one of said receptacles, said coin hopper and said coin chute being of electrically conductive material and located in close juxtaposition so that a coin is capable of spanning said hopper and said chute and thereby complete an electrical circuit including a vibrator in engagement with said coin chute, and means for counting the number of coins entering said hopper and transferred thereby to said chute for movement down said chute into a coin wrapper located in said second one of said receptacles, said counting means comprising a counting gear rotatably mounted on said frame, a solenoid-operated counting plunger in engagement with said gear for advancing said gear by a predetermined amount for each movement of said plunger, and cat's whisker switching means interposed in said chute and connected to said solenoid for actuating said plunger in dependence upon the passage of a coin through said coin hopper and down said coin chute into operating relation with said cat's whisker switching means;

. a wrapper closing station on said frame including a rotatable crimping die for engaging and closing an open end of a coin-filled wrapper located in a third one of said receptacles;

a wrapper discharging station on said frame for carrying away a coin-filled and closed wrapper located in a fourth one ofsaid receptacles;

indexing means on said frame for rotating said turret through the arc separating said receptacles; and,

. means connecting said counting means and said indexing means for actuating said indexing means when a predetermined number of coins is loaded into a wrapper at said filling station.

3. An automatic coin sorting, counting and wrapping machine comprising:

a. a frame;

b. a turret rotatably mounted on said frame containing a plurality of outwardly opening and angularly separated receptacles to-hold coin wrappers;

c. a wrapper guiding station on said frame capable of directing one wrapper at a time into an adjacent first one of said receptacles;

d. a wrapper filling station on said frame arranged to load a predetermined number of coins into a wrapper located in a second one of said receptacles, said wrapper filling station comprising a coin hopper, a coin chute located below said hopper and inclined downwardly toward said second one of said receptacles, and means for counting the number of coins entering said hopper and transferred thereby to said chute for movement down said chute into a coin wrapper located in said second one of said receptacles, said counting means comprising a counting gear rotatably mounted on said frame, a solenoidoperated counting plunger in engagement with said gear for advancing said gear by a predetermined amount for each movement of said plunger, and cat's whisker switching means interposed in said chute and connected to said solenoid for actuating said plunger in dependence upon the passage of a coin through said coin hopper and down said coin chute into operating relation with said cats whisker switching means;

. a wrapper closing station on said frame including a rotata' ble crimping die for engaging and closing an open end of a coin-filled wrapper located in a third one of said receptacles;

f. a wrapper discharging station on said frame for carrying away a coin-filled and closed wrapper located in a fourth one of said receptacles;

g. indexing means on said frame for rotating said turret through the arc separating said receptacles, said indexing means including an indexing button mounted at a predetermined peripheral location on said counting gear, a relay including a contact arm extending into interfering relation with said button, and a conductor connecting said relay and said indexing means, said relay actuating said indexing means each time said contact arm engages said indexing button, said button being engaged once each complete rotation of said gear; and,

h. means connecting said counting means and said indexing means for actuating said indexing means when a predetermined number of coins is loaded into a wrapper at said filling station.

4. An automatic coin sorting, counting and wrapping machine comprising:

a. a frame;

b. a turret rotatably mounted on said frame containing a plurality of outwardly opening and angularly separated receptacles to hold coin wrappers;

c. a wrapper guiding station on said frame capable of directing one wrapper at a time into an adjacent first one of said receptacles;

d. a wrapper filling station on said frame arranged to load a predetermined number of coins into a wrapper located in a second one of said receptacles, said wrapper filling station comprising a coin hopper, a coin chute located below said hopper and inclined downwardly toward said second one of said receptacles, and means for counting the number of coins entering said hopper and transferred thereby to said chute for movement down said chute into a coin wrapper located in said second one of said receptacles, said counting means comprising a counting gear rotatably mounted on said frame, a solenoid-operated counting plunger in engagement with said gear for advancing said gear by a predetermined amount for each movement of said plunger, and cats whisker switching means interposed in said chute and connected to said solenoid for actuating said plunger in dependence upon the passage of a coin through said coin hopper and down said coin chute into operating relation with said cats whisker switching means;

. a wrapper closing station on said frame including a rotataf. a wrapper discharging station on said frame for carrying away a coin-filled and closed wrapper located in a fourth one of said receptacles;

g. indexing means on said frame for rotating said turret through the arc separating said receptacles; and,

h. means connecting said counting means and said indexing means for actuating said indexing means when a predetermined number of coins is loaded into a wrapper at said filling station.

5. A machine as in claim 4 including a protuberance mounted at a selected peripheral location on said counting gear; a switch including a feeler extending into interfering relation with said protuberance; and a wire connecting'said switch, said motor and said solenoid means for relatively moving together said die and said wrapper and for concurrently rotating said crimping die. 

1. An automatic coin sorting, counting and wrapping machine comprising: a. a frame; b. a turret rotatably mounted on said frame containing a plurality of outwardly opening and angularly separated receptacles to hold coin wrappers; c. a wrapper guiding station on said frame capable of directing one wrapper at a time into an adjacent first one of said receptacles, said guiding station including a supporting tray tilted toward said first one of said receptacles, and guide walls associated with said tray for directing coin wrappers toward said first one of said receptacles, a portion of said guide walls converging to pass only one of said wrappers at a time; d. a wrapper filling station on said frame arranged to load a predetermined number of coins into a wrapper located in a second one of said receptacles; e. a wrapper closing station on said frame including a rotatable crimping die for engaging and closing an open end of a coinfilled wrapper located in a third one of said receptacles; f. a wrapper discharging station on said frame for carrying away a coin-filled and closed wrapper located in a fourth one of said receptacles; g. indexing means on said frame for rotating said turret through the arc separating said receptacles; h. counting means on said frame for measuring the number of coins loaded into a wrapper located at said wrapper filling station; and, i. means connecting said counting means and said indexing means for actuating said indexing means when a predetermined number of coins is loaded into a wrapper at said filling station.
 2. An automatic coin sorting, counting and wrapping machine comprising: a. a frame; b. a turret rotatably mounted on said frame containing a plurality of outwardly opening and angularly separated receptacles to hold coin wrappers; c. a wrapper guiding station on said frame capable of directing oNe wrapper at a time into an adjacent first one of said receptacles; d. a wrapper filling station on said frame arranged to load a predetermined number of coins into a wrapper located in a second one of said receptacles, said wrapper filling station comprising a coin hopper and a coin chute located below said hopper and inclined downwardly toward said second one of said receptacles, said coin hopper and said coin chute being of electrically conductive material and located in close juxtaposition so that a coin is capable of spanning said hopper and said chute and thereby complete an electrical circuit including a vibrator in engagement with said coin chute, and means for counting the number of coins entering said hopper and transferred thereby to said chute for movement down said chute into a coin wrapper located in said second one of said receptacles, said counting means comprising a counting gear rotatably mounted on said frame, a solenoid-operated counting plunger in engagement with said gear for advancing said gear by a predetermined amount for each movement of said plunger, and cat''s whisker switching means interposed in said chute and connected to said solenoid for actuating said plunger in dependence upon the passage of a coin through said coin hopper and down said coin chute into operating relation with said cat''s whisker switching means; e. a wrapper closing station on said frame including a rotatable crimping die for engaging and closing an open end of a coin-filled wrapper located in a third one of said receptacles; f. a wrapper discharging station on said frame for carrying away a coin-filled and closed wrapper located in a fourth one of said receptacles; g. indexing means on said frame for rotating said turret through the arc separating said receptacles; and, h. means connecting said counting means and said indexing means for actuating said indexing means when a predetermined number of coins is loaded into a wrapper at said filling station.
 3. An automatic coin sorting, counting and wrapping machine comprising: a. a frame; b. a turret rotatably mounted on said frame containing a plurality of outwardly opening and angularly separated receptacles to hold coin wrappers; c. a wrapper guiding station on said frame capable of directing one wrapper at a time into an adjacent first one of said receptacles; d. a wrapper filling station on said frame arranged to load a predetermined number of coins into a wrapper located in a second one of said receptacles, said wrapper filling station comprising a coin hopper, a coin chute located below said hopper and inclined downwardly toward said second one of said receptacles, and means for counting the number of coins entering said hopper and transferred thereby to said chute for movement down said chute into a coin wrapper located in said second one of said receptacles, said counting means comprising a counting gear rotatably mounted on said frame, a solenoid-operated counting plunger in engagement with said gear for advancing said gear by a predetermined amount for each movement of said plunger, and cat''s whisker switching means interposed in said chute and connected to said solenoid for actuating said plunger in dependence upon the passage of a coin through said coin hopper and down said coin chute into operating relation with said cat''s whisker switching means; e. a wrapper closing station on said frame including a rotatable crimping die for engaging and closing an open end of a coin-filled wrapper located in a third one of said receptacles; f. a wrapper discharging station on said frame for carrying away a coin-filled and closed wrapper located in a fourth one of said receptacles; g. indexing means on said frame for rotating said turret through the arc separating said receptacles, said indexing means including an indexing button mounted at a predetermined peripheral location on said counting gear, a relay including a contact arm extending into interfering reLation with said button, and a conductor connecting said relay and said indexing means, said relay actuating said indexing means each time said contact arm engages said indexing button, said button being engaged once each complete rotation of said gear; and, h. means connecting said counting means and said indexing means for actuating said indexing means when a predetermined number of coins is loaded into a wrapper at said filling station.
 4. An automatic coin sorting, counting and wrapping machine comprising: a. a frame; b. a turret rotatably mounted on said frame containing a plurality of outwardly opening and angularly separated receptacles to hold coin wrappers; c. a wrapper guiding station on said frame capable of directing one wrapper at a time into an adjacent first one of said receptacles; d. a wrapper filling station on said frame arranged to load a predetermined number of coins into a wrapper located in a second one of said receptacles, said wrapper filling station comprising a coin hopper, a coin chute located below said hopper and inclined downwardly toward said second one of said receptacles, and means for counting the number of coins entering said hopper and transferred thereby to said chute for movement down said chute into a coin wrapper located in said second one of said receptacles, said counting means comprising a counting gear rotatably mounted on said frame, a solenoid-operated counting plunger in engagement with said gear for advancing said gear by a predetermined amount for each movement of said plunger, and cat''s whisker switching means interposed in said chute and connected to said solenoid for actuating said plunger in dependence upon the passage of a coin through said coin hopper and down said coin chute into operating relation with said cat''s whisker switching means; e. a wrapper closing station on said frame including a rotatable crimping die for engaging and closing an open end of a coin-filled wrapper located in a third one of said receptacles, said wrapping closing station comprising an electric motor vertically mounted on said frame with the axis of the motor shaft coincident with the axis of said third one of said receptacles, a crimping die mounted on the lower end of said motor shaft, and solenoid means for relatively moving the upper end of a coin-filled wrapper into and out of engagement with said die in predetermined sequence; f. a wrapper discharging station on said frame for carrying away a coin-filled and closed wrapper located in a fourth one of said receptacles; g. indexing means on said frame for rotating said turret through the arc separating said receptacles; and, h. means connecting said counting means and said indexing means for actuating said indexing means when a predetermined number of coins is loaded into a wrapper at said filling station.
 5. A machine as in claim 4 including a protuberance mounted at a selected peripheral location on said counting gear; a switch including a feeler extending into interfering relation with said protuberance; and a wire connecting said switch, said motor and said solenoid means for relatively moving together said die and said wrapper and for concurrently rotating said crimping die. 